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Tuesday, March 13 2012

Horse of the Year Havre de Grace Gets Final Work in Advance of Saturday’s New Orleans Ladies

NEW ORLEANS (Monday, March 12, 2012) – Reigning Horse of the Year Havre de Grace put in her last workout in advance of Saturday’s $150,000 New Orleans Ladies this morning at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, breezing five furlongs in :59 3/5 with regular exercise rider Jen Brasser aboard. The 5-year-old mare worked in company with an unraced 3-year-old filly, Just Jan, who went the same distance in 1:00 under Rosie Napravnik while breezing to the inside of Havre de Grace.

Due to short but heavy showers earlier in the morning, trainer Larry Jones decided to wait until after the renovation break ended at 8:30 a.m. to work Havre de Grace, as opposed to going out at her usual 6 a.m. slot.

Monday, March 12 2012

Uptown Bertie Rules Sunday Feature

NEW ORLEANS (Sunday, March 11, 2012) – Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s Uptown Bertie, allowed to settle early, commenced a rally entering the lane and drew off in the final furlong for a 2 3/4-length tally in Sunday’s $46,000 mile and 70 yard feature for maiden sophomore fillies at Fair Grounds.

Trained by Steve Margolis and ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, the daughter of More Than Ready returned mutuels of $5.60, $3 and $2.20, increased her career earnings to $55,227 with her initial victory in seven lifetime starts and accomplished the distance in 1:43.44.

“This horse is named for a Holocaust survivor,” said Margolis. “She’s a friend of Bert and Elaine’s who is just a wonderful lady and lives in South Florida now. She is a lovely lady – a real ray of sunshine to all the people down there who know her from the old Gulfstream Park. She used to go there every day.”

Van Berg Returning to FG As Benefit Auctioneer March 20

NEW ORLEANS (Friday, March 09, 2012) – When the devastating news concerning the health issues of recently retired jockey E.J. “Tee Joe” Perrodin became public – and that Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots would be hosting a charitable crawfish boil March 20 to benefit the popular rider’s family – one of the first people to volunteer his services at the upcoming event was Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg, who will be returning to New Orleans that afternoon as an auctioneer.

Native Louisianan Perrodin, 55, who won 3,083 during his lengthy career, announced is retirement from the saddle in early February at Fair Grounds. Tragically, just days later, the revered reinsman was diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer.

NEW ORLEANS (Wednesday, December 14, 2011) – Sophomore colts and geldings as well as sophomore fillies considered Louisiana Derby or Fair Grounds Oaks candidates earlier this season get a chance to dance over the local lawn Saturday when the 55th running of the $75,000 Black Gold Stakes Fire and fourth renewal of the $75,000 Allen LaCombe Memorial – both slated for the Stall-Wilson turf course – serve as the co-featured events of the upcoming New Orleans weekend.

The Black Gold is named in recognition of the first horse in history to capture the Louisiana Derby and parlay that score into victory in the Kentucky Derby, while the Allen LaCombe Memorial honors the memory of Allen “Black Cat” LaCombe, Fair Grounds’ revered longtime publicity director who died in 1989.

French Breeze Wins Thursday Feature

NEW ORLEANS (Thursday, March 08, 2012) – Justice Family Racing’s French Breeze proved the third time’s the charm when she visited the winner’s circle for the first time in Thursday’s featured $46,000 grass dash for maiden sophomore members of the distaff set.

The daughter of good grass sire Elusive Quality trailed the field in the run down the backstretch in the sprint at about 5 1/2-furlongs over the Stall-Wilson turf course, commenced a rally entering the lane, took command in mid-stretch and drew clear the rest of the way for a length and a half tally.

Tuesday, March 06 2012

Havre de Grace, Joyful Victory Work in Company

NEW ORLEANS (Monday, March 5, 2012) – Twelve days in advance of her 2012 debut in the March 17, $150,000 New Orleans Ladies, reigning Horse of the Year Havre de Grace worked six furlongs in company with stablemate Joyful Victory in 1:11 2/5, breezing, at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Regular exercise rider Jen Brasser was aboard Havre de Grace, while Robby Albarado was astride Joyful Victory, who is pointing to the March 17 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Monday, March 05 2012

Promising Filly Small Kitchen Gives Napravnik Five Winners Sunday

NEW ORLEANS (Sunday, March 04, 2012) – Gainesway Thoroughbreds’ odds-on favorite Small Kitchen broke in full stride to make the pace and drew off late to give Fair Grounds defending jockey champion and current leading rider Rosie Napravnik her fifth winner of the afternoon in Sunday’s $49,000 feature.

Small Kitchen’s margin of victory at the wire was 7 1/4-lengths in the allowance and $50,000 optional claiming affair that was restricted to sophomore fillies and contested at six furlongs on the main track.

Sunday, March 04 2012

Sunday’s Child Noses Out Sarah Lane’s Oates Win

NEW ORLEANS (Saturday, March 03, 2012) – At the wire following a stirring stretch duel, Brittlyn Stable’s Sunday’s Child proved best by a nose over Garland Goins’ She’s Prado’s Idol in Saturday’s 10th anniversary edition of the $60,000 Sarah Lane’s Oates Stakes at Fair Grounds.

“She was very game,” said winning rider Rosie Napravnik of her filly’s courageous performance in the race restricted to 3-year-old fillies over the Stall-Wilson turf course. “She wasn’t giving up and that’s what made the difference.”

Saturday, March 03 2012

Calhoun Entry One-Two in Friday 3YO Feature

NEW ORLEANS (Friday, March 02, 2012) – Gary and Mary West Stables’ entry of Fire Alarm and Tiz Moe both overcame sluggish beginnings to finish first and second respectively – a neck apart – in Friday’s $49,000 allowance and $50,000 optional claiming Fair Grounds feature for 3-year-olds at a mile and 70 yards.

The winning Fire Alarm, ridden by Miguel Mena, and runner-up Tiz Moe, with Rosie Napravnik in the irons, are both trained by Bret Calhoun and returned mutuels of $3.40, $3.80 and $2.20 as the odds-on choice of the Fair Grounds fans.

Friday, March 02 2012

Jockey Jesse’s Fair Grounds Meet

NEW ORLEANS (Friday, March 02, 2012) – Although jockey Jesse Campbell endured a slower-than-usual beginning to his 2011-2012 winter season at Fair Grounds, he certainly ended it on a high note by capturing last Saturday’s Grade III Mineshaft Handicap with an upset win aboard Windy Hill Farm’s Nates Mineshaft for trainer Austin Smith.

The 34-year-old reinsman will conclude his Crescent City season this Saturday, seat wife Allyson and their two cats in the truck beside him before dawn Sunday and head north, driving straight through to Chicago while towing the family’s boat behind.